By Sunil Jena
Editor-in-Chief, The Politics Odia
Bhubaneswar: Water everywhere. Homes submerged, roads cut off and farmland under floodwater. Across parts of northern Odisha, thousands of families are still struggling to get through another difficult day.
Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur and Kendrapara have been among the worst-affected areas. Rivers including the Jalaka, Budhabalanga, Brahmani and Baitarani have added to the crisis as floodwater continues to affect low-lying areas.
For many families, the problem is no longer just the water.
It is food. Drinking water. Medicines. Electricity. Safe shelter.
And then there is the fear of snakes, crocodiles and disease.
In several areas, people have remained surrounded by water for days. Before one flood situation has completely eased, another spell of flooding has added to the pressure.
Amid this situation, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi visited affected areas and took stock of the situation on the ground.
His decision to physically visit flood-hit areas, despite the reported risk of crocodiles in some locations, has received appreciation. The Chief Minister interacted with affected people and reviewed the situation directly.
The government has also announced a major financial package for flood management and relief.
That raises an obvious question.
If the Chief Minister has visited the ground, spoken to people and announced financial assistance, why are many affected families still waiting for basic government support?
This is where the real challenge for the government begins.
A relief package announced from the Chief Minister’s level does not automatically reach a family sitting inside a flooded house.
Between the announcement and the delivery, there is a long administrative chain.
Revenue officials have to assess the damage. Health teams have to reach affected villages. Food and Civil Supplies officials have to arrange essential commodities. Local administration has to coordinate rescue and relief operations.
If these departments do not work together quickly, even a large financial announcement can remain largely on paper for the people who need it most.
The criticism being raised now is therefore less about the Chief Minister’s ground visit and more about what happens after the visit.
People want relief, not just a review.
They want food packets to reach them. They want drinking water. They want medicines. They want electricity restored. Farmers want their crop losses assessed and compensation processed.
This is where coordination becomes critical.
A Chief Minister can visit a flood-hit village and understand the suffering of people. But the success of that visit will ultimately be measured by what changes for those people after the government machinery returns to work.
The northern Odisha floods have also exposed the continuing vulnerability of low-lying areas.
Repeated flooding has become a recurring problem for many communities. Houses, agricultural land and roads remain vulnerable whenever rivers rise.
For families living in these areas, flood management is not an occasional government exercise. It is a yearly struggle.
That is why the government will have to look beyond immediate relief.
Rescue and relief are essential today. But drainage, embankments, flood forecasting, river management, health preparedness and long-term rehabilitation are equally important tomorrow.
The Chief Minister’s ground visit has certainly sent a political and administrative message.
But now comes the harder part.
Can the government machinery deliver what the Chief Minister has promised?
Can the coordination between the Revenue, Health, Food Supplies departments and district administration improve quickly enough?
And can the relief package reach the last affected family without delay?
These are the questions that people in the flood-hit areas are asking.
A government is not judged only by how much money it announces during a disaster.
It is judged by how quickly that help reaches the person standing in floodwater.
Sunil Jena’s Observation:
Mohan Charan Majhi’s decision to visit the flood-hit areas deserves recognition because a ground visit gives the government a clearer picture of the crisis. But the real test begins after the visit. If coordination between departments and district administration remains weak, even a large relief package will not provide immediate relief to affected families. The government now needs to ensure that the Chief Minister’s announcements reach the ground quickly and transparently.
Author Profile
- Sunil Jena is the Editor of The Politics Odia, an independent digital platform that delivers fearless political analysis, ground reports, and investigative stories from Odisha. Known for bold storytelling and grassroots connections, Sunil is shaping a new era of regional journalism.
Latest entries
AnalysisAugust 18, 2026Flooded Odisha, Stranded People: CM’s Ground Visit Wins Praise, But Where Is the Relief on the Ground?
AnalysisAugust 17, 2026Odisha’s Mineral Wealth at the Centre of a New Political War: Naveen Demands All-Party Meeting and Special Assembly Session Over MMDR Bill
AnalysisAugust 17, 2026BJD Hits the Streets: Naveen’s New Political Strategy and the Sujata Rout Question
AnalysisAugust 14, 2026Who Will Be Odisha’s Next DGP? Selection Row Reaches Supreme Court
